11 EXT: In the middle of a flat grassy cape

Wernher von Kerman stands on a small podium, in front of him a small group of Kerbals is gathered.

WERNHER

Gentlekerbs, today marks the start of Project Icarus, the greatest task our civilisation has ever been set. Today you stand before me, young, adventurous, inquisitive, in a few years time we may reconvene on another planet!

excited murmuring

WERNHER

This will also be a dangerous task and I hope you all make it through to the other side. Elsewhere at this time, other Scientific leaders are addressing their charges as well, we have set up several centres for projects like farms and enhanced food production, we will need stores to take with us to the planets and to help Kerbals who are affected by the flares. We need factories to turn that produce into goods that we will consume. We will need more advanced medicine to deal with the flares and space travel, better materials to build with and enough of them, so we will also need mines, smelters and more factories. We will need power and fuel.

WERNHER

All that so that we few here can find a way to save us all, we will build machines out of the things they produce and we will test them and you until they break. We will go where no Kerbal has gone before and do things no Kerbal ever imagined doing. Our task is to lead the way to another home, on another world, and to do that, first we are going to have to do what no Kerbal has ever done before. We will need to fly, soar and streak across the heavens!"

The small crowd clapped and cheered enthusiastically.

WERNHER

OK, well we had better get started

CUT TO:

12 EXT: In the middle of a flat grassy cape

A weird contraption with wings, seemingly made out of hope and bailing wire sits, it's engines slowly turn two propellers, as it slowly trundles forward Jebediah Kerman gives the thumbs up and opens the throttles wide, the propellers spin faster and the contraption gains speed. In a minute it leaves the ground, wobbles and then slowly sinks back as Jeb eases off the throttles. The small crowd watching goes wild, jumping up and down.CUT TO:

13 EXT: Beach in front of a flat grassy cape

Jebediah is lounging on the beach when a bi-plane roars overhead towards the island in the distance

Bill runs up

BILL

Its Valentina in the Violet, first Kerb across the straight!

JEBEDIAH - squints and holds a hand above his brow watching the plane disappearing into the distance

Come on Bill it's time to get to work

CUT TO:

14 INT: Noticeboard

Parchment with title "Speed record!"

Jebediah Kerman today broke the air speed record in the Monoplane StingerBee reaching 500kph

Fade to:

Parchment with title "Distance record!"

Valentina Kerman broke the distance record again in the twin-engined craft Purple Wasp crossing the western ocean

Fade to:

Parchment with title "Circumnavigation!"

Jebediah Kerman circumnavigates the globe in the multi-engined craft Flyswatter

Fade to:

Parchment with title "Speed of sound broken!"

Valentina Kerman today broke the sound barrier in the jet engined craft Purple Burn!

CUT TO:

15 EXT: In the middle of a flat grassy cape

Wernher is again on a podium in a field this time in front of a larger group of Kerbals

WERNHER

Today we open the greatest facility on Kerbin, The Kerbal Space Centre! From here we will journey to space, the moons,and then the planets, and maybe one day the stars! I hereby dedicate this centre to all you adventurous pioneers, exacting engineers and scientific theorizers who have made this possible. With this new facility the quest for space begins!"

The crowd cheers and claps, while camera swivels to reveal the KSC facility, fade out

CUT TO:

15 INT: Capsule

Jebediah Kerbal is in the capsule of the Atlas Merkury, barely audible discussion with mission control, sounds of machinery and switches clicking, Flight says go and the countdown continues to go

CUT TO:

16 EXT: Rocket exterior view as , rocket takes off and flies into the sky. Stages and eventually orbits

CUT TO:

17 INT: Capsule

JEBEDIAH

Mission Control this is Mercury 1 we have a stable orbit, all systems are nominal

MISSION CONTROL - cheering in background

We read you load and clear, Congratulations Commander, have fun up there.

CUT TO:

186 INT: KSC

Wernher von Kerman stands in front of a small group of Kerbals, Jebediah, Valentina, Bob and Bill among them.

WERNHER

Today marks the beginning of project Apollo, with Jebediah's first orbit of Earth and other subsequent missions we believe we now have the means to make our first trip off Kerbin and land on the Mun. The Saturn V will be the biggest rocket to date by a large margin, it will fly a crew of three to the Mun and return. The Commander and Lander Pilot for this mission will be Jebediah Kerman - Jebediah smiles and recieves several pats on the back - the second in command and Command Module Pilot will be Valentina Kerman - Valentina gives Jebediah a cool appraising glance as she is congratulated by the colleagues around her - Bob Kerman will be Engineer and lander crewman.

The room bursts into applause

WERNHER

You all have your assigned duties I expect you all to do your best, we will reconvene is a few days. Jebediah, Valentina and Bob can you stay behind.

The rest of the Kerbals file out

WERNHER

I picked you three for this important mission because you are the best, Valentina, don't feel slighted, Jebediah has slightly more experience than you, you are equally good pilots and leaders. I have noticed a certain tension between you two. It's not going to be a problem is it?

JEBEDIAH AND VALENTINA simultaneously

No Sir!

WERNHER

Good, this is one of the most important events of our history, we must all strive together to make it a success. Good luck

Wernher leaves

JEBEDIAH

Well, now that we have that settled, we can get on with my mission

VALENTINA

If you think that was the final decision you are a few trees short of a forest. See you in training boys.

Valentina leaves

BILL - watching Jebediah watching Valentina leave with knitted brows

This is going to be a long few months.